For a comfortable driving experience, no matter how long or short, it is important to select good engine oil for your vehicle. But because of the abundance of oil manufacturers in the market, choosing the right kind of motor oil is not an easy task.
Every oil brand is trying to outdo the others by introducing new technologies and experimenting with new additives. Today we will evaluate the top two oil brands, i.e., Valvoline vs Mobil 1.
The major difference between these two brands is that Mobil 1 engine oils have better longevity than Valvoline engine oil. At the same time, Valvoline engine oils offer better protection for your engine regardless of the temperature as compared to Mobil 1 motor oils.
If you want to know more about each brand and figure out which brand would be suitable for your vehicle, you should read our article in detail. We’ll start with a chart to show you a brief comparison between Valvoline vs Mobil 1.
| Valvoline | Mobil 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Viscosity | Excellent | Good |
| Suitable Engines | Multiple | Multiple |
| Suitable Models | Multiple | Multiple |
| Longevity | Average | Excellent |
| Fuel Economy | Above Average | Excellent |
| Grades Available | 0W-16-20W-50 | 0W-16-20W-50 |
| Value for money | Good | Excellent |
Differences and Similarities between Valvoline vs Mobil 1-
Valvoline and Mobil 1 are the top three engine oil manufacturers. But they do have some differences and similarities that everyone should know before choosing between them. Let us check them out one by one.
Differences between Valvoline vs Mobil 1-
Oil types: Valvoline and Mobil 1 manufacture a wide range of oils, from synthetic oil to synthetic blends to high-mileage oil. However, unlike Valvoline, Mobil 1 doesn’t include any conventional oil in its series of lubrication products.
Price- The next difference is related to their price range. Mobil 1 oils are more expensive as compared to Valvoline engine oils. Mobil 1 Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-20 is one of the most costly engine oils on the market.
Similarities between Valvoline vs Mobil 1-
Engine Compatibility– Be it a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, or a turbocharged engine, these two oil brands are fully applicable to all sorts of engines.
Broader applicability– Another similar feature of Valvoline and Mobil 1 oil is that they are all compatible with a variety of heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles like transportation automobiles, passenger cars, motorcycles, and high-performance vehicles.
Valvoline vs Mobil 1 Comparsion on YouTube
Comparison Based on Features-
Viscosity-
Viscosity is one of the most important parameters that distinguish one lubricant from another. Valvoline engine oils are more adaptable in terms of viscosity level as compared to Mobil 1.
They are specifically designed to correspond well with different types of climatic conditions. Valvoline All Climate Synthetic Oil is known for its well-balanced performance all year round.
Likewise, Mobil 1 also has both thinner and thicker texture oils for all seasons, but they are slightly less efficient than Valvoline 5W-30 oils.
So if you want oils with good viscosity, you should choose between Valvoline vs Mobil 1 5W-30 oils.
Suitable Engines-
If truth be told, there isn’t much competition between Valvoline vs Mobil 1 when it comes to engine suitability. These two oil manufacturers make a variety of oils appropriate for different engines, like gasoline engines, diesel engines, turbocharged engines, and four-stroke engines. In fact, these two have certain all-purpose oils that are suitable for more than one engine.
Mobil 1 0W-40 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil is best suited for gasoline and diesel engines and Valvoline SynPower 5W-30 Fully Synthetic Engine Oil is good for both petrol and diesel engines.
The only difference between them is that one produces better gasoline engine oils. On the other hand, another one is more popular for its diesel engine oils.
At the same time, Mobil 1 synthetic oil for diesel engines is more widely used than Valvoline. Therefore, it would be best if you made your choice according to your vehicle’s manufacturer’s manual.
Suitable Models-
You’ll be glad to know that Valvoline and Mobil 1 manufacture an expansive range of oils that are efficient enough to complement many models, be it a modern truck or a classic car. Having said that, Mobil 1 is one step behind Valvoline because it doesn’t produce conventional oils.
So it isn’t fully backward compatible. Therefore, customers who use only conventional oil in their old models will be disappointed with Mobil 1. But Mobil 1 high-mileage oils can still be used in old models that have more than 75,000 miles.
Other than that, full synthetic oil, manufactured by these two, not only works well with modern vehicles but with older vehicles too.
In fact, some of the most famous automobile manufacturers recommend and license their oils for their vehicles irrespective of the models, like General Motors, BMW, Porsche, Audi, etc. For example, Valvoline European Vehicle Full Synthetic Engine oil is created to fulfill the requirements of many European models of Volkswagen, Benz, Audi, etc.
You can either choose between Valvoline or Mobil 1 full synthetic oil for any type of model.
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Longevity-
When it comes to providing a good longevity ratio, Mobil 1 engine oils are far superior to Valvoline engine oil. The reason behind this is that Mobil 1 oil has introduced some oils on the market that provide exceptional protection for the engine by reducing excessive oil consumption in the long run.
Mobil 1 has performed various tests to make its oils long-lasting. Some of these tests are TEOST 33C, Oxidation Stability Test, Thin Film Oxidation Test, and a few others. Mobil 1 Annual Protection Oil passed all these intricate tests and became one of the best engine oils that protect up to 20,000 miles.
Consequently, a clean engine results in better longevity.
Engine oils by Mobil 1 have a 0W-20 viscosity grade. So you can easily choose Mobil 0W-20 for long-lasting engine oils. On the contrary, Valvoline is yet to produce any oil that can prolong oil change duration beyond 10,000 miles.
Fuel Economy-
By using improper engine oil, you are risking premature engine failure, which in turn will affect your fuel efficiency. By creating new and improved viscosity grades and by increasing oil change intervals, Valvoline and Mobil 1 have been looking for new ways to improve fuel economy.
Their fully synthetic oils with SAE 0W-20 and SAE 5W-20 are known for reducing friction levels amongst engine components. Mobil 1 states that using lower-viscosity engine oil instead of higher-viscosity engine oil can significantly increase fuel economy.
With this in mind, they specifically designed Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil. It is a perfect combination of synthetic base stocks and additive ingredients to help achieve better gas mileage.
But unlike Mobil 1, Valvoline doesn’t have any engine oil that focuses precisely on fuel economy, which means Mobil 1 is doing a better job of providing oil to boost overall fuel economy.
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Grades Available-
The viscosity grade of an oil is defined by numbers that analyze the alteration in the viscosity of the lubricant during temperature change. To be able to work effectively during extreme temperatures, each oil manufacturer provides oils with several viscosity grades.
For example, Valvoline and Mobil 1 include similar types of viscosity grades for their customer’s satisfaction and also to expand their reach. Let’s take a look at all the possible viscosity grades available in their oils.
For cold temperatures: 0W-16, 0W-20, 9W-30, 0W-40
For warm temperatures: 10W-30, 10W-40, 15W-40, 15W50, 20W-50
For every temperature–5W-30, 5W-40, 5W-50
Even though all these grades are provided by all these two brands, Mobil 1 has taken a little lead here as it also includes oils with 0W-50 in its product range too. 0W-50 viscosity grade is not only useful for cold starts, but it can also protect the heated engine in hot weather.
Mobil 1 Racing 0W-50 Fully Synthetic Engine Oil is quite popular amongst race drivers.
Value for money-
To give you an actual assessment of which one of these two engine oil brands can offer better value for money, we have done extensive research on their product’s quality. Also, we have taken hundreds of customer reviews into account.
Surprisingly, Mobil 1 engine oil has an edge over Valvoline engine oil, even though their products are comparatively more expensive than the other two. It is because the specialized Anti-Wear Technology used in their fully synthetic oils exceeds the performance of any other type of engine oil on the market at present.
That is why all the products by Mobil 1 are capable of challenging harsh temperatures, wear and tear, and severe driving conditions.
Valvoline and its MaxLife Technology also provide benefits that will repay the expenses invested. They may not be as good as Mobil 1, but they are good enough. Their high-mileage synthetic oils extend the life of an old engine that has surpassed 75,000 miles.
Products We Recommend-
1) Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil-
First, we’ll talk about Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 10W-30 Motor Oil. It is more suitable for heavy-duty diesel engines.
What we love most about this engine oil is that it guarantees a decrease in corrosion by forming a protective shield around different moving parts of the engine. As a result, the friction will be reduced, and you’ll love the quiet engine performance.
Also, the refined detergents present in the oil are fully capable of resisting sludge formation. Additionally, it performs exceptionally well in high-temperature regions because of its high viscosity index, i.e., 10W-30.
However, this means that it has a thick, greasy texture, so it may not be very suitable for cold weather. But if you still want to use it even though you live in a colder region, we’ve got you covered with our pro tip.
Pro tip– During winter, you can add 1/4th portion of any synthetic oil with a 5W-30 viscosity to this oil. This way, the thin composition of 5W-30 would help with the cold start.
Unfortunately, some users complained about the visible dirt in the oil only after receiving the package. Other than that, the rest of the characteristics of Valvoline Full Synthetic Oil with 10W-30 viscosity make it a good choice for many users.
2) Mobil 1 Annual Protection Full Synthetic Oil-
However, if you are planning to leave your oil in your engine for up to 20,000 miles, we would advise you to check our pro-tip at the end.
Moving on to its other worth-mentioning traits, we can say that it is extremely versatile. It is suitable not just for diesel engines but also gasoline and turbocharged engines.
Additionally, you can simply forget about the oxidation and overheating of your engine as the oil can prevent engine failure to a greater extent. Also, thanks to its 5W-30 viscosity grade, it offers a quick cold start during low temperatures.
One thing that some users may dislike is that advanced synthetic oils like this one are mostly compatible with high-quality oil filters to provide better protection against leakage and other issues. But these filters can be a bit expensive.
Despite this, Mobil 1 Annual Protection Full-Synthetic Oil is attracting a lot of customers with its extended drain interval.
Pro-tip- To avoid damaging your engine, check the oil condition, such as color and smell, every 2000–3000 miles. If you see any noticeable changes, take your vehicle to the nearby auto repair center for an oil change.
Frequently Asked Questions-
1) What is the lifespan of Valvoline Fully Synthetic Oil?
Valvoline’s fully synthetic engine oil allows their customers to extend their oil change intervals compared to other oils on the market. They are able to withstand the breakdown longer than conventional oils that degrade easily under stress.
They operate the same way with all types of engines and, therefore, provide a similar long-lasting effect. However, apart from the quality of the oil, there are other factors that determine when you should change your Valvoline synthetic motor oil.
If your vehicle & engine condition are up to date and your driving habits are normal, you can wait till you finish 5000 miles. But if you drive under harsh conditions, Valvoline recommends an oil change between 3000 and 3750 miles.
But make sure you don’t go beyond 6,000 miles.
2) Is Mobil 1 fully-synthetic or semi-synthetic?
Yes, Mobil 1 is a fully synthetic oil. It is one of the biggest oil brands that produce some of the most advanced fully synthetic oil on the market at present.
Mobil 1 synthetic oil ensures long-lasting performance because it lowers the proliferation of residues in the filter that can do irreversible damage to your engine.
Most importantly, Mobil 1 synthetic products meet the most rigorous standards of European, Japanese, and American automobile manufacturers. That is why they are the customer’s number one choice.
Additionally, it also has the potential to withstand unpredictable driving conditions such as speeding, long-distance traveling, stop-and-go driving, etc. Overall, Mobil 1 is 100% synthetic as it offers all the essential benefits of fully synthetic oil, like extended drain intervals, adequate performance regardless of the temperature, and much more.
3) Is synthetic oil better than other oil?
Another straightforward yes. Synthetic oils are chemically created so that they can provide benefits like no other. As compared to other oils, they contain fewer impurities and have a more uniform chemical structure.
Synthetic oil flows more fluidly than the rest of the oils. Thus, it has high adaptability to all types of temperatures. Also, no regular oil can match the durability provided by synthetic oil. And let’s not forget that synthetic oils are generally more environmentally friendly because they heat less and emit less residue.
Therefore, it is clear that synthetic oil is a more reasonable choice if you require maximum engine performance and protection. It not only decreases the oil decomposition but also increases the vehicle’s mileage. That is why synthetic oil has become the priority of most consumers.
Conclusion-
In the end, all we can say is that Valvoline vs Mobil 1 engine oils are in neck-to-neck competition with all their strengths and slight limitations. So, to say one is better than the other would be a little complicated.
On the one hand, Valvoline has better viscosity-based oils than Mobil 1. On the other hand, Mobil 1 engine oils last longer than Valvoline engine oils.
Similarly, Mobil 1 is just a small step behind Valvoline in terms of backward compatibility, but at the same time, it is one step ahead of the other two when it comes to viscosity grades present in the market.
Lastly, they kind of stand together by providing different types of oil that accommodate a variety of engines. Therefore, we will end this article with a note that these two oil manufacturers are doing their best to gain new customers each year, now it’s up to you which one you would like to choose based on your vehicle, location, and driving style.